A fine example of a French town, despite the signs of modern warfare with several buildings completely ruined by German bombs. One area of this block is almost completely wiped out, other areas are completely untouched and makes a stark contrast to the ruins.

It is currently daytime.

Sub-Rooms :
1. Air Raid Shelter
2. Alice's Sew Shop

«AngelOfDeath» Claude regains consciousness!

Kraller marches through the streets, flanked by SS enlisted men. One of whom is leading a German work dog. His uniform is mussed, as if he's spent the morning tramping around the countryside. But, despite the debris, he looks pleased enough. The reason why is clear. Half-carried between a pair of German privates is the form of Claude. His face shows some pretty impressive bruising and he's barely conscious.

Henrik has been drawn from the southern side of the street by the commotion. The swede's steps come to a stop when the patrol comes into sight. Arms cross over his chest as the big fellow sees the prize the patrol drags along. His expression stonefaced.

Genevieve was entertaining inside, but considering most of her audience's eyes are now peeled to the windows, she quieted her last song. She was looking out of the windows herself until she saw who was being carried. Senseless or not, unable to help or not, she couldn't just hide inside. She steps out of the cafe, arms folding tightly across her chest as if she were suddenly cold. She doesn't manage to be quite so stonefaced as Henrik, but she makes not a sound.

Jean-Jacques was making his way along the street rather slowly in the opposite direction. When he sees the commotion, he stops, watching the happenings quite silently.

Christiane slips out of the cafe not far behind Genevieve, gray eyes creased with worry. They widen at the sight of all the Germans, and the beaten Frenchman. She takes up a position standing beside Gene, exchanging a wide-eyed look with the songstress.

Ebner marches at the end of the Party of Nazis, holding the leash of a large German shepherd. He eyes the crowd, glaring at them menacingly. On general principle.

Kraller slows when he sees all the eyes they've attracted, motioning for his men to halt as well. Claude is jostled, none too gently, by the men holding him. But it only elicits a groan. Kraller raises his head, to address the surrounding French. "Do not fear, good people of Arras," he calls out, voice strong. Even a bit reassuring. "You are safe now. The murderer and saboteur who has terrorized this village has been found."

Henrik briefly looks over each of the nazis who form the patrol, from the triumphant officer, to the scowling Schutze. Lastly, he once again regards the half-conscious Claude borne between a pair of the black uniformed SS men. As Kraller speaks up, the swede's blue eyes got to him, head tilting slightly back as he gives the officer his ear.

Genevieve pauses a moment, looking over to Christiane… but then her eyes are drawn back to Kraller and his words. As he keeps the oddly reassuring tone to his voice and announces the 'good' news… it takes her a moment, but Gene forces a warm, immediate smile to her lips… and applauds. If no one else at all starts, she looks about, staring in confusion, "We are safe!? Do you not here! Cheer the man!" And she claps a bit more, apparentl doing her best to use a bit of charisma to get Kraller some support.

Christiane's expression remains carefully stoic during the officer's speech. She does not look as if she feels any safer. A flash of pity crosses her face when her eyes drift to Claude, before she can stop herself. She closes her eyes, murmuring, "My God…" under her breath. So low it's likely only Genevieve can hear it. But she's shaken out of her reverie when the other woman starts clapping. She blinks at Genevieve, staring at /her/ now.

«Ground Combat» Ebner moves to engage Claude in close quarters combat, and succeeds!

Ebner edges forward, with his trusty dog, as Kraller stops to speak. To tighten the ring of Nazis around Claude. Not that the half-conscious Frenchman is in any danger of fleeing.

Claude regains some bit of consciousness, his head lulling up, and around the crowd. It's Kraller's voice, and then Genevieve's cheering, that brings him out of it. He blinks, his eyes roaming vaguely about. For a second - only a second - they fall on Henrik. And he manages a small shake of his head. But then his chin falls again and he just winces, his bruised face twitching.

Jean-Jacques looks up a bit more as he hears Kraller's words. He then hears the applauding, and looks over at Genevieve, for a few seconds, then back to the happenings going on. Keeping silent for now.

"Quiet, scum!" Ebner yells when Claude stirs. He barely remembers to keep his grip on the dog as he delivers a hard punch to the back of Claude's head. Which sends the Frenchman into unconsciousness again.

Henrik's eyes flick across the street toward the suddenly applauding singer. His eyes moves back to the nazis and thier quarry in the street. Blue eyes narrow a touch and he nods once. Slowly, none too hurried, nor so slow as to be mocking, his thick hands are brought together several times.

«AngelOfDeath» Claude regains consciousness!

Claude just groans and limply falls between the Nazis that carry him. Paying no more attention to the crowd. Or anything else in the conscious world, for that matter.

"Obserschutze! Steady!" Kraller barks at Ebner, frowning at the man. Not that it's a real rebuke, precisely. He marches forward again, motioning tersely for the rest of the Nazi crew to follow. "Come along. Let's get him locked away before he takes up any more of our time. I must get word to Major Vogel promptly. He will be most pleased this matter is settled."

Christiane winces in sympathy when Claude is hit, half-moving forward toward him, but she restrains herself. She purses her lips, doing her best to keep that stoic expression on her face. But it falters.

As no one else cheers, Gene quiets rather quickly, but a now cool smirk dances across her lips and her arms fold over her chest once more. Her eyes flicker through the crowd of Nazi's, looking for a particular face or two. If she manages to find any of the gentlemen whom she has come to know, she will flash them an encouraging smile, if nothing else.

Kraller marches on and his men follow, the sound of their boots echoing down the street, toward the police station.

Henrik watches the patrol pass toward the waiting police station, with hands now sitting idle at his sides. Turning from the backs of the passed soldiers, his blue regard crosses the street to the small cluster of familiar faces. His mein is a grim one.

Genevieve watches them go… she following along a little bit, but once she is certain they are completely down the lane and out of sight she turns back to the others. Her smile is very certainly gone now. She almost looks sick, slightly at herself, but far more so at the sight of Claude.

Christiane does not look grim. Just sad and defeated. She half-turns away, to go back inside the cafe. But that makes her face Genevieve, and her expression hardens. "You may go home for the day, Madame d'Artois," she says, her tone uncharacteristically cold. "We can finish the day without your *services*, I think."

Jean-Jacques sighs a bit as he sees the Germans head off, and continues on his way, rather slowly. Passing near the others.

Henrik steps into the street and continues his unhurried pace across toward where Christiane speaks with Genevieve, although the big man does not enter the discussion as of yet.

Genevieve looks back to Christiane, lips parting to explain… but would it even be believed. A moment later she blinks back a bit of moisture from her eyes and just nods mutely. "Of course, Madame Morgenstern. I… I wish I could explain." She whispers quietly, her voice just a touch trembling with those tears before she turns upon the ball of her foot to head back inside. "I just… just need to get my things…"

Henrik stills his steps to one side, not looking after Genevieve as the singer withdraws and instead addressing, "Madame Morgenstern," in his deep, rough voice. "The tailor's shop didn't open today. You happen to know where Madame Chevalier might be?"

«Game» It is now dusk.

"Madame Chevalier?" It takes Christiane a moment to really process Henrik's question. She gives her head a little shake, as if to right herself. "I do not know, Monsieur Svensson. I have not seen her about the cafe. Why do you ask?" Another flash of worry crosses her face. "Is Alice…all right?" She tries to keep the sound of her question innocuous, but she doesn't enirely succeed.

Genevieve disappears fully into the cafe' now, just going for her bag and change of shoes so she can walk home in something other than high heels.

Henrik shrugs his thick shoulders at Christiane's question. "She should be. No reason for her to be in trouble. Just need to have a word with her. Clothes and such," he rumbles evenly. "I'll have a look inside. You going-?" he asks, with a short motion at the Cafe Mason.

Christiane nods to Henrik. "No reason for her to be in trouble. Of course." Not that she looks any less worried. At his question, she nods again. "Yes. Though I think some of our customers will have gone home. Such a thing is most unsettling."

Genevieve steps back out, her bag across her shoulder. She gives one last look at the pair, her eyes lingering on Henrik a few moments, before she bows her head and just begins a quiet retreat towards the north of town. Her eyes trail as she goes, though, searching for something or someone..

Henrik nods once. "So I'm told," he mutters to the notion of 'unsettling' events. In a rare gesture, Henrik takes a moment to draw open the door for Christiane to enter, looking after Genevieve for a long moment as the other woman withdraws toward the north.

Christiane is surprised by the gesture. She looks up at Henrik, offering him a faint smile. Though it falters as she catches a glimpse of Genevieve's departing form. For a moment, she looks almost sorry to see the woman go. Not that she calls her. "Thank you, Monsieur. Tell Madame Chevalier I shall look in on her later, myself." That said, she steps back inside the cafe.